Social Habits - Improve & Grow Your Network

Are social habits really the key to success in business? I think the answer is yes, and I think this has always been true, but today offers us so many more opportunities to reach more people and have a bigger impact.

What is your focus when it comes to social habits? This is a question you need to continue asking yourself until you go past the surface of meeting more people to make more money to a deeper and more passionate statement. For example, to add value and inspire the people in my circle to go past what they thought was possible for themselves. You try it... keep asking and go deep until you have your 'why' for your social habits focus.

What are your goals with your social habits and how will you make space in your schedule to accommodate those goals? How much time and effort will you spend on a daily and weekly basis and with what particular tasks and activities?

What can you do to stand out and set yourself apart with your social habits so that people will remember you? Even better, what are your special skills and qualities and in what ways can you share those with your growing community?

Lastly, what value can you add to the lives of people that will greatly lend itself to you being a social habits thought leader. Value is given as a token of what is over and above that which people might expect. They receive free value or they pay for something from you, but walk away saying 'wow'! You give them a clear sense of what it means to over deliver. Think about it, what can you do - how will you do it?

Please enjoy the FREE bonus gifts that are available for you by visiting http://www.ActionHabits.com You'll receive a 20 minute reply of a webinar called "Keep moving forward", a free report of '200+ Action Habits of successful entrepreneurs' and also a '7 day simple start' action plan to take action now!
Helen Raptoplous has been called a Muse Mentor by her clients and the premier catalyst for business owners to grow and keep moving their business forward.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Raptoplous

Power of Networking - How to Build a Successful Business by Building Professional Relationships

We have all heard of the Power of Love, the Power of Positive Thinking, and of course the Power of Prayer. A recent conference that I attended compelled me to explore the Power of Networking.

Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Eighth Annual National Power Networking Conference in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. I have known of the importance of networking and thought of myself as a decent networker in terms of obtaining a job for myself and helping others to obtain jobs. This event elevated networking to a whole new level in my eyes.

During this 3 day event, my artistic muse was stimulated with new thoughts and ideas on how to propel my business into an entity that would reach a broader clientele base, create generational wealth, employ others, and impact change in the lives of young people.

I first heard of the Power Networking Conference after accepting an invitation to attend a free seminar, "Writing a Winning Sales Proposal" presented by Andrew Morrison, President of the Small Business Camp.

Mr. Morrison's goal was to guide business people through the process of drafting a sales proposal that would lead them to create something of value in less than 16 weeks.

During this seminar, I played the role of the class guinea pig. I learned the components of an effective sales proposal. I also learned that I should transform my fun, interactive math workshops into musical, mathematical extravaganzas. Mr. Morrison's activation during this seminar convinced me to register for the Power Networking Conference.

My biggest concern was making the most of my time during this three day event. I had to attend those seminars and events that were most advantageous to my business such as the two minute elevator pitch competition.

There were hundreds of people, some strangers and some familiar, promoting their businesses and selling their wares. We became better acquainted by participating in workshops that taught us how to effectively grow our businesses; visiting vendor booths; and attending power luncheons, National Town Hall meetings, Power Plenary sessions, Power Panel discussions, and awards presentations. This conference made access to key contacts readily available through these events.

There were many influential people on the program such as Ed Gordon, formerly of BET News and NBC.

Sybil Wilkes and Jeff Johnson of the Tom Joyner Morning Show shared their wisdom with us. I had the pleasure of personally meeting Sybil Wilkes and famed motivational speaker Les Brown.

Les Brown, who is at the time of this writing 65 years old, has scaled back his speaking appearances and uses his time to train the next generation of speakers via his instructional workshops and teaching CD series. Mr. Brown stated that he now speaks 4 times per month instead of 4 times per week and that he "would rather have 25% of 100 people than 100% of himself". WOW! That is networking by using the mantra of duplicating yourself through others.

The Power Networking Conference is spearheaded by George Fraser. Mr. Fraser is the, author of three books on networking. Mr. Fraser also founded Frasernet, a social networking and training tool.

By using Frasernet, businesses can take networking to an exciting new level by implementing technology to market businesses thus promoting "generational wealth" instead of generational debt.

During the conference we were urged to put pride or egos aside to network with those around us. We were inspired to transform our "Work Ethic into a Wealth Ethic" and to move from "Good Today to Amazing Tomorrow".

The amazing two minute elevator pitch competition drew major attention. Conference attendees were invited to submit their proposals for participation. Each person would demonstrate how they would pitch their business idea and ask for funding from a stranger on an elevator in two minutes. After two minutes, the microphone would be silenced. The contestants were rated Olympic style by many very successful entrepreneurs who held signs ranging in scores from 1-10. After the two minute spiel, contestants were critiqued by the judges who offered valuable feedback.

I was one of ten contestants chosen. My elevator pitch described how my company would integrate music, mathematics, and celebrities to host an event that would help children embrace mathematics instead of fear it. This was the idea suggested in the free seminar "Writing a Winning Sales Proposal" presented by Andrew Morrison.

Unfortunately, I did not win the contest, but did win in other ways. The feedback from the captains of industry was extremely valuable. I was told first and foremost to lose the note cards. This is one of my goals in my Toastmasters speeches. The other way that I won was from many people complimenting me on my speech and purchasing my book "How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math". Since then, I have received lots of correspondence from people whom I am sure will turn into potential clients or business partners.

Without Toastmasters, I would have never had the ability to connect so intimately with my audience. That day and the following day, people were stopping me, referring to me as "The Math Lady", and purchasing my book.

We also learned to make use of social networking technology to promote our businesses such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, etc. As a result, I joined the TAG Team Marketing group and Facebook.

I am still coming to terms with how much personal information to expose on the web. That is a decision that we must all make for ourselves.

One of the most important outcomes of networking is to promote Win-Win situations. This is one of Steven Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people. It is just as important to listen to others as they share their businesses as it is to effectively share your business. It is important to have an attitude to assist someone before the business transaction is made. If there is a mutual feeling that both entities will win, the likelihood that repeat business will occur is greater.

In conclusion, it is extremely important to be open to new ideas and unfamiliar people. It is crucial to spend money to invest in yourself and to use your time wisely. Plan your plan and work your plan. Duplicate yourself in others as Les Brown does. Use Technology to your benefit and by all means create win-win situations.

With the Power of Networking we can reach more people as we promote the power of love, positive thinking, and praise in our interactions with others.

Copyright 2009, Math 1 On 1, LLC, Saundra Carter

Saundra Carter is the CEO of Math 1 On 1, LLC a mathematics tutoring company that offers tutoring services from Arithmetic to Calculus in a setting convenient to the client. Her company also presents fun, interactive math workshops that can be used as fund raisers for youth groups.

She is the author of "How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math" and a soon to be released book entitled "Journey of a Modern Day Writer: Secrets of Successful Self-Publishing".

Math 1 On 1, LLC
http://www.math1on1.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saundra_Carter

Power of Networking - How to Build a Successful Business by Building Professional Relationships

We have all heard of the Power of Love, the Power of Positive Thinking, and of course the Power of Prayer. A recent conference that I attended compelled me to explore the Power of Networking.

Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Eighth Annual National Power Networking Conference in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. I have known of the importance of networking and thought of myself as a decent networker in terms of obtaining a job for myself and helping others to obtain jobs. This event elevated networking to a whole new level in my eyes.

During this 3 day event, my artistic muse was stimulated with new thoughts and ideas on how to propel my business into an entity that would reach a broader clientele base, create generational wealth, employ others, and impact change in the lives of young people.

I first heard of the Power Networking Conference after accepting an invitation to attend a free seminar, "Writing a Winning Sales Proposal" presented by Andrew Morrison, President of the Small Business Camp.

Mr. Morrison's goal was to guide business people through the process of drafting a sales proposal that would lead them to create something of value in less than 16 weeks.

During this seminar, I played the role of the class guinea pig. I learned the components of an effective sales proposal. I also learned that I should transform my fun, interactive math workshops into musical, mathematical extravaganzas. Mr. Morrison's activation during this seminar convinced me to register for the Power Networking Conference.

My biggest concern was making the most of my time during this three day event. I had to attend those seminars and events that were most advantageous to my business such as the two minute elevator pitch competition.

There were hundreds of people, some strangers and some familiar, promoting their businesses and selling their wares. We became better acquainted by participating in workshops that taught us how to effectively grow our businesses; visiting vendor booths; and attending power luncheons, National Town Hall meetings, Power Plenary sessions, Power Panel discussions, and awards presentations. This conference made access to key contacts readily available through these events.

There were many influential people on the program such as Ed Gordon, formerly of BET News and NBC.

Sybil Wilkes and Jeff Johnson of the Tom Joyner Morning Show shared their wisdom with us. I had the pleasure of personally meeting Sybil Wilkes and famed motivational speaker Les Brown.

Les Brown, who is at the time of this writing 65 years old, has scaled back his speaking appearances and uses his time to train the next generation of speakers via his instructional workshops and teaching CD series. Mr. Brown stated that he now speaks 4 times per month instead of 4 times per week and that he "would rather have 25% of 100 people than 100% of himself". WOW! That is networking by using the mantra of duplicating yourself through others.

The Power Networking Conference is spearheaded by George Fraser. Mr. Fraser is the, author of three books on networking. Mr. Fraser also founded Frasernet, a social networking and training tool.

By using Frasernet, businesses can take networking to an exciting new level by implementing technology to market businesses thus promoting "generational wealth" instead of generational debt.

During the conference we were urged to put pride or egos aside to network with those around us. We were inspired to transform our "Work Ethic into a Wealth Ethic" and to move from "Good Today to Amazing Tomorrow".

The amazing two minute elevator pitch competition drew major attention. Conference attendees were invited to submit their proposals for participation. Each person would demonstrate how they would pitch their business idea and ask for funding from a stranger on an elevator in two minutes. After two minutes, the microphone would be silenced. The contestants were rated Olympic style by many very successful entrepreneurs who held signs ranging in scores from 1-10. After the two minute spiel, contestants were critiqued by the judges who offered valuable feedback.

I was one of ten contestants chosen. My elevator pitch described how my company would integrate music, mathematics, and celebrities to host an event that would help children embrace mathematics instead of fear it. This was the idea suggested in the free seminar "Writing a Winning Sales Proposal" presented by Andrew Morrison.

Unfortunately, I did not win the contest, but did win in other ways. The feedback from the captains of industry was extremely valuable. I was told first and foremost to lose the note cards. This is one of my goals in my Toastmasters speeches. The other way that I won was from many people complimenting me on my speech and purchasing my book "How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math". Since then, I have received lots of correspondence from people whom I am sure will turn into potential clients or business partners.

Without Toastmasters, I would have never had the ability to connect so intimately with my audience. That day and the following day, people were stopping me, referring to me as "The Math Lady", and purchasing my book.

We also learned to make use of social networking technology to promote our businesses such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, etc. As a result, I joined the TAG Team Marketing group and Facebook.

I am still coming to terms with how much personal information to expose on the web. That is a decision that we must all make for ourselves.

One of the most important outcomes of networking is to promote Win-Win situations. This is one of Steven Covey's 7 habits of highly effective people. It is just as important to listen to others as they share their businesses as it is to effectively share your business. It is important to have an attitude to assist someone before the business transaction is made. If there is a mutual feeling that both entities will win, the likelihood that repeat business will occur is greater.

In conclusion, it is extremely important to be open to new ideas and unfamiliar people. It is crucial to spend money to invest in yourself and to use your time wisely. Plan your plan and work your plan. Duplicate yourself in others as Les Brown does. Use Technology to your benefit and by all means create win-win situations.

With the Power of Networking we can reach more people as we promote the power of love, positive thinking, and praise in our interactions with others.

Copyright 2009, Math 1 On 1, LLC, Saundra Carter

Saundra Carter is the CEO of Math 1 On 1, LLC a mathematics tutoring company that offers tutoring services from Arithmetic to Calculus in a setting convenient to the client. Her company also presents fun, interactive math workshops that can be used as fund raisers for youth groups.

She is the author of "How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math" and a soon to be released book entitled "Journey of a Modern Day Writer: Secrets of Successful Self-Publishing".

Math 1 On 1, LLC
http://www.math1on1.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saundra_Carter

Developing YourTarget Market

Building your business is all about leveraging your strengths within the context of your prospects' needs, then networking with as many of those people as you can. The most successful networkers have developed a thorough strategy planning process. This process includes: Identifying the major components of the broad, deep network you hope to establish; studying the different types of networking organizations and how they fit into your overall strategy; and identifying the types of business people that make up your target market.

However, there are some final pieces to the process. The first of these is you: how do you fit into your own strategy? Second, where will you find the people you want to interact with and make part of your network?

To start, let's identify some of the strengths and skill sets that you bring to the table as a business professional. I've discussed these before, but they bear repeating, because answering these questions truthfully and thoroughly will really help you discover important things about yourself.

· Are you a "people person"?

· Do you enjoy public speaking?

· What kind of professional background did you have before starting your business?

· How long have you lived in the area where you do business?

· What other natural skills do you have (such as time management, staying organized, keeping clients focused) that don't fall directly into your business expertise but are valued by people?

Once you've got that written down, ask yourself, "What group of people or target market is best suited for my services?"

As an example, if you're an extroverted consultant who worked for a big insurance company before starting your own business, then insurance companies, and maybe even their agents, would be a terrific target market for you. A group like this would value the expertise you bring to the table, and by leveraging your previous work experience, you'd be able to talk in a language they understood. You'd probably have great success closing the deal when engaging these prospects.

A great place for you to network would be any insurance trade association that met in your area. Health insurance, property and casualty insurance-you name it, there's an association for it. So, instead of spending your time in places where insurance professionals might or might not be, you could focus your networking energies on attending events where your target market shows up in force.

As another example, let's say you're a real people person who dabbles in public speaking. Your services lend themselves to small to medium-sized firms-fewer than ten employees-and you're looking for places to meet them. Because speaking is one of your strengths, part of your networking strategy could be delivering a presentation at your local chamber of commerce or business association. That's a great way to meet a lot of people at once, and it's something we recommend to our clients who want to interface with the small-business market.

Take it a step further. Look at the industry groups you've had the most success with in the small business market, and start networking at their monthly trade association events. Now you're speaking in front of your target market at the chamber, and you're meeting them individually at their industry-specific networking events. For saturating your target market, this would be hard to beat.

People have told me, "Well, that sounds great, but I don't want to limit my prospect base by talking to only one group of people." Fair enough. As business professionals ourselves, I know how hard it seems to get new business. So the last thing you want to do is feel that you're networking to just one group.

However, when you establish two or three target markets that leverage the inherent strengths of your company and focus your networking there, what you'll find is that your prospects will start calling you with their business. Why? Because you obviously know your stuff and are willing to spend some time to get to know them.

Building your business is all about leveraging your strengths within the context of your prospects' needs, then networking with as many of those people as you can. It might mean talking with some of your friends and family ("Hey, I'm rolling out a new program that has me talking to a lot of business equipment companies. Would you happen to know of a person who works for a business equipment firm here in town?").

It might also mean attending every industry specific association meeting within a 50-mile radius of your office. Or it could be both. But what it doesn't mean is running all over town "networking" with anyone who happens to be in the room. That's sure to be an exhausting way to acquire new business. A successful business creates a network that is an inch wide and a mile deep, not a mile wide an inch deep.

Start by identifying your strengths (what do you and your business bring to the table?) Then determine which group of people would be most receptive to your message; they are your target market. After that, figure out where those folks are most likely to hang out, then focus most of your networking time in those areas. It's as simple as that.

Called the "father of modern networking" by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. His latest book, Networking Like a Pro, can be viewed at http://www.IvanMisner.com. Dr. Misner is also the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company.

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Network Lessons From the King

In 2010, Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock and Roll" would have celebrated his 75th Birthday. Even though it's been 33 years since his death, he still remains among the most popular of entertainers, and an inspiration for many people, selling, to date, over 1 billion units worldwide.

During his career, Elvis officially recorded 698 songs. Several of the titles of his #1 hits could be used as reminders and lessons for those who are looking to make their business networking more effective. For all of the "Suspicious Minds" out there, consider these:

"It's Now or Never": Networkers must be very proactive. They do things now, knowing that tomorrow will never come. They attend events, meet new people, and are always figuring out ways to help others while also helping themselves. They never leave things to chance. They know that by taking determined actions today, this will lead them to greater achievements in the future, both professionally and personally.

"Always On My Mind:Great networkers always are thinking about ways they can help other people. Wherever they go, they look to serve people by finding referrals in the form of clients, or they introduce others to new sources. Because of their their actions they too always remain on the minds of others.

"A Little Less Conversation": Networkers listen to others more than they speak to them, in order to take note of what others want. At formal meetings or events with speakers, they do not engage in side conversations with others, texting, checking emails and sending instant messages. They know that the more they listen, other people will be "always [be] on [their] mind" when the networker is in a situation to make a referral.

"Return to Sender": Whenever a networker receives a referral, they return the prospect back to the sender, with great feedback about their experience, regardless if business was done or not. The sender (also known as the giver), usually has a strong relationship with the prospect, which the receiver needs to protect and further enhance. When this is done, the giver of the referral will have more trust and confidence in the receiver, thereby sending them more referrals over time.

"Stuck on You": Networking is about building and enhancing relationships. Regardless if you are networking offline in the real world and online, you will meet people you wouldn't ordinarily meet in the course of a year, and in many cases, a lifetime. The relationships that you start and enhance through the help you give others will cause people to become "stuck on you" whenever they need or know someone who could benefit from your counsel, advice, products or services. You are creating your own personal brand-loyalty among people and organizations which can totally transform your business.

Copyright 2010 Timothy M. Houston

Tim Houston is an author, speaker, business catalyst and impresario helps businesses and people to become more productive, profitable and prosperous. As an author his work appeared in The New York Times Best Seller, Masters of Sales . Dozens of his articles on the topic of business networking and word-of-mouth marketing have been translated and published in magazines, newspapers and blogs around the world. His first book, Level Up Networking: Produce, Profit and Prosper From Your Everyday Business Relationships will debut in early 2010.

As a speaker, Tim has given over 4,000 presentations to companies and organizations, over the past 13 years.

For a FREE SPECIAL REPORT: "5 Ways To Generate More Referrals, RIGHT NOW! visit his official website http://www.tmhouston.com and sign up to become a member of his Inner Circle.

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